Senses
by somewhat intriguing
Summary: The more time they spend together, the more he realizes he's falling in love with her. NaLu.


_Part I : sight_

 _Note:_ This will be a fluffy five part series revolving around Natsu's growing feelings for Lucy. Enjoy!

* * *

 ** _Senses_**

 ** _Part I : sight_**

The first time Natsu truly saw just how beautiful she was, the power had gone out in her apartment.

Lucy had already been annoyed with him for once again breaking into her home through the window unannounced, interrupting her cooldown after her creative burst and trying to peek over her shoulder at the writings he guessed she burned the daylight on. So it was a surprise to her when the power suddenly shut off, a random blackout rolling over Magnolia, leaving them in an unexpected darkness.

His eyes were quick to adjust, not even flinching at the abrupt shroud of night that blanketed them. He watched as she groaned tiredly, a combination of exhaustion and irritation. She probably wanted to go to bed and he was about to offer he leave so that she could before she cut down the bid that he had yet to officially proposed with a muttered "I'll find my candles" and walked away, arms fanned out slightly as she navigated across the apartment.

She wasn't aware but he was eying her curiously, an eyebrow raised in confusion as she turned from him. She was stumbling around awkwardly in the darkness, bumping into things and muttering frustrated curses as she blindly searched for extra candles and matches in the small kitchen.

He would call her name, trying to grab her attention. But each time she would brush him off, insisting he be patient until she could remember where her stash of candles was tucked away. The smirk on his face was pursed, barely containing the laugh that he wanted to let loose. It was, to describe it in one word, hilarious.

How easy it would have been for him to bring light to the small space but he was more interested in the scene that was playing out before him. So he kept his magic and laughter in check in a mute fascination of just how long this silly event could go on.

Though it may not be much longer before he would take pity on her as she stubbed her toe on the same corner for the third time and he would be left with no choice but to offer his partially reluctant, partially willing help. Even he wasn't completely heartless.

Her back was to him as she shuffled through a drawer, the frustrated grumbles still spilling from her mouth as she complained to herself about the assault the cabinet had inflicted on her. A small chuckle escaped his own mouth at that and he lifted his hand. In an instant, the small space that made up her apartment was cast in a warm glow by the flame that enveloped his hand.

Lucy stilled before rolling her head back, an aggravated and likely embarrassed groan filling the momentarily silent room. "Why didn't you do that in first place?" Her voice was deadpan, unamused by his game and her own lapse in thought. She still hadn't turned to face him.

A playful smirk decorated his face, one that she couldn't see but was sure she could feel, as he offered his simple reply. "It was much funnier this way."

* * *

Really, it was. He always got the biggest kick out of pushing her buttons. She would get flustered and red faced, her nose crinkling as a nonthreatening scowl pinched her face. She never really seemed to be as upset as she acted, typically quick to brush it off with a small retaliating prank of her own. It was as natural as breathing to them at this point. So why she even bothered asking was beyond him. He was certain she already had the answer before she even thought of the obvious question.

Sighing, she nodded her head, accepting his expected answer and continued her search which was much easier with the aid of Natsu's light. When she found her candles, she approached him, the blush plain on her face and moved to light them on the small flame that flickered between them.

He watched her silently, finding new fascination in the way she looked at this moment, his frozen body a stark contrast to the fire that burned within him. Her dark eyes were focused on the simple task, igniting the short wicks of the candles and setting them on the adjacent table to bring light to her home. She didn't spare him a glance and had not noticed him staring.

He supposed he had always known she was pretty. He just didn't spare an additional thought on it. And even if he didn't acknowledge it, he knew others did regularly, something he never particularly cared for. Catcalls, flirtatious advances, compliments – it seemed to happen at least once when they were out in the town. Or even just at the guild.

He had always enjoyed his time with Lucy because she was _nice_. She was sincere and compassionate and intelligent and just _fun_ to be with. From the moment he met her, he was piqued by all that about her. She was pretty, sure. But it never amounted to all the things that he soon learned about her.

But now, in the flickering light of his fire, her eyes watching it intently as she set up a more appropriate light source (so that he didn't light any of her belongings on fire, he guessed) he actually saw how beautiful she actually was.

Her golden hair was unwashed, tied back in a messy bun with loose strands curling around her face that would occasionally fall too far into her line of vision and she would flick her head slightly or shoot a puff of air at them to move them. She probably didn't even realize she was doing it and he honestly hoped she wouldn't stop.

Her face was bare, none of the _stuff_ she applied to it when she went out. Her skin was hers, pale and smooth, dewy and unblemished. The palest freckles decorated across her nose and cheeks, small flecks of sunlight sprinkled on her face that he rarely ever saw and almost completely forgot she had. He felt the need to tell her that she shouldn't hide them from anyone and especially not him. It was borderline criminal.

But her eyes, good lord her eyes had his breath caught in his throat and his heart palpitating. Such rich umber illuminated by the fierce light of his flames left him completely enraptured. The warm light illuminating the gold that dusted her irises, allowing them to twinkle and sparkle just as beautifully as the stars she admired so much. It was like looking into the blanket of night, observing the countless constellations within those depths, the universe settled comfortably beyond the sky that made up her eyes.

How had he never noticed?

"You're beautiful."

Lucy blanched and looked up at him, her blush deepening as she began to stammer. "Wh-what are you talking about?"

And then it dawned on him that he had announced that thought to her. "Uh, well, I—" A blush of his own crawled up his neck, burning his ears. He didn't mind if she knew he thought that, he actually _wanted_ her to. He just wished he hadn't been so abrupt and nonchalant in letting her know. But, he supposed, he would have never said it if it wasn't when he was caught dazed by her. He started again. "I mean that you're," he cleared his throat, "really pretty." His blush was like a wildfire across his face and he turned his head, his eyes still watching her from his peripheral vision.

"Th-thank you." She was trying to hide her face from him.

He quickly realized it was more fun to make her shy and embarrassed than to prank her as he had grown accustomed to doing, a notion which was wholly shocking to him. He grinned, relishing the thought that he had such an effect on her.

Together they sat on the couch, telling scary stories and making each other laugh as they stayed up, the other's company energizing and staving off any form of tiredness for several hours.

Lucy fell asleep on the sofa and Natsu carried her to the bed. He looked down at her, contemplating on whether or not he should stay. He had already shown up unannounced and she had warned him that he was not allowed to stay the night.

Deciding that he was willing to face her wrath when she woke up, he crawled into bed with her, bringing the comforter over both of them and snuggling up against her back.

"I told you that you couldn't stay." She mumbled in the haze of sleep but made no attempt to remove him.

He breathed deeply, already slipping into his own slumber. "Shhh, I'm trying to sleep."

She snorted cutely in a way that only she was able to do before whispering. "You can stay."

He smiled into her hair. This girl was beautiful.


End file.
